Many people may know her as the bubbly social studies teacher who teaches World Cultures at NAI and Modern American History at NASH. She is a friendly face located on the third floor and is the embodiment of North Allegheny excitement.

In 2019, Ms. Emily Grecco began her teaching career at Butler High School. 

“My first year of teaching ever was at Butler and that was in 2019, but I was at NAI for the last two years before coming to NASH. I saw an opportunity [to move to NASH] and took it. It gave me the chance to kind of move and change with the curriculum.”

At NAI, she was a long-term substitute teacher for Mrs. Ferruchie. This was surprising because Ferruchie is an English teacher and Grecco currently teaches Social Studies.

“I am dual certified in English and Social Studies, so [it depends] on where I’m needed and what positions I fit [into] because each year is presented with different things. I like to switch it up. I love social studies because of my high school social studies teacher, so that’s what sparked me to become a social studies teacher. I also had a great AP English 11 teacher who inspired me to be an English teacher as well. So best of both worlds,” she said.

Over the course of her teaching career, Grecco has taught a different course every year. When she was at Butler High School, she taught 11th and 12th grade English. After being a long-term substitute teacher for Ferruchie at NAI, she taught a year of World Cultures at NAI. Now at NASH, Grecco teaches Modern American History. 

“It’s fun because the curriculum changes for me, and I can make it more geared towards what we are experiencing currently. So it’s been fun to grow my mind with the curriculum and what we’re teaching in schools and do cross-curricular activities between social studies and English.”

But why would Grecco become a high school teacher? Depending on who you ask, the job is not an especially enticing one. However, before becoming a teacher, Grecco was able to observe her mother, who was an elementary school teacher.

“The way that she had to handle her classroom and all of the craziness associated with seven and eight-year-olds, I was just like, ‘No. That’s not for me.’ What made high school more appealing to me was getting you guys ready for your next steps after high school, like college preparation and career exploration. I was really excited to help high schoolers in that way.” 

When asked what she missed about NAI, Grecco said that she misses the lack of stairs that the building had to offer. However, she really enjoys the opportunity to move up with the students she taught her first year at NA and now gets to see the same students as seniors. 

“It’s great because [the students from] my first year of teaching at NA are seniors now, and then I taught [the current] juniors now and last year. Basically, I see everyone the same, but I miss everyone down there [at NAI] as well.” 

Like all teachers, Grecco has a life outside of North Allegheny. When she is not coaching the Marching Band’s Color Guard team or helping with the Make a Wish Club and Multicultural Student Union, she is enjoying some of her favorite hobbies. 

“I love to do yoga, but I also enjoy reading and baking when I have the free time. My favorite book of all time is Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. I like anything really that has some type of suspense, and I do like a little bit of a romance novel. Young adult novels are good ones.”

Aside from books and yoga, one surprising fact about Grecco is that she loves to fly. Her grandfather was a pilot and would take her flying when she was a kid. 

“I love to go flying with him and he started teaching me how to fly as soon as I received my driving permit.  Ultimately, I put receiving my private pilot license on hold to go to college, but [it is] something I would love to pick back up in the future.”

Maybe someday, instead of seeing Ms. Grecco in the classroom, she’ll be seen flying high above NASH.